Wasteland
by GuardianAthens
Summary: 2P!Verse. Romano knows he shouldn't try it. Italy knows he's about to lose. Spain knows he's enraged. Germany knows he's used. The world continues on until a stumble and a change. Will hidden truths and love win over force, stubborn willpower, and war? Or will they both be stuck in the wasteland they wandered into?
1. Beginning Trek

_**And suddenly I add another ship to my 2P armada! It's 2P!Germano! It came out of nowhere, I swear to anime Jesus.**_

_**Without further ado, I present my 2P!Germano fic,**_ _Wasteland**!**_

* * *

"Lutz, it's over, he's going to..."

"No, he won't. I won't let him. I'll keep him back, I swear, just go"

"Please, don't. I'm not leaving! I refuse!"

"It's okay Romano. If you still love me, then it'll be worth the pain, the scars, the anything"

"I always have and will Ludwig. Give Luciano hell for us, alright? Come back in one peice?"

A chuckled slipped passed his lips. "I will. I may not be flawless but I'll be whole. Go, before he gets you"

Fear suddely clutched his eyes. "I...I don't want to. Please..."

"Stefano..."

"Come home when it's safe, amore. Promise me you'll come back"

"I promise I'll be back Stefano. I love you so much. Now run for us both"

"I love you too Ludwig"

He ran, and Ludwig turned back to the chaos before him. He knew he had to protect him, and he will not let a single hair on Romano's head be touched.  
He picked up his gun, and readied for war.

* * *

_**~Six Months Earlier~**_

Doors slammed and curses screamed as Romano walked back into the shared Axis house from an emergency smoke to calm his shaking nerves and arising anxiety. He'd survived through an entire half hour of his brother and Germany arguing and fighting to the point of bloodshed, half of which was entirely made up of in German and he couldn't translate even a quarter of it. He had no clue what and why they were fighting about, but it was horrific from the amount of foreign languages and screeching being done. He found his anxiety suddenly flutter back to life and he fingered another cigarette in his dwindling pack, trying to decide if he should go back out.

"NO! YOU DO NOT MAKE DEMANDS! I DO! MY DEMAND FOR YOU IS TO SHUT THE EVERLOVING FUCK UP AND-"

Back out Romano went, pulling out his pack and lighting one as fast as he could with the matches hidden in his sleeves. The packet of wooden flint sticks shook as his anxiety refused to quiet and his shiver refused to cease. The small box fell from his fingers and as he bent down to pick it up again, the fighting went dead silent. No screams, no words, not a single creak of steps. The house turned into a graveyard. The others knew not to speak, Romano realized, knowing that if they spoke they were next in line for ranting and fighting.

Romano stood still, his fingers silently groping and grabbing his dropped matches. He just as slowly put them back in his pocket and stood up. He flicked the ashes off the end of his lit cig, took a puff and barely had time to block the doors behind him from fracturing his spine in several places.

"Get out now" Italy bitterly bit out. Romano was able to dodge and scatter out, but he was now in complete eavesdropping mode here.

Germany walked out, followed quickly from behind by Italy. Even now they fought tooth to nail. Italy stopped a few steps from the door as Germany paused for the quickest second, and then continued to walk out. Romano swore he saw a fresh bruise and multiple cuts decorating Germany's previously scarred face. A new wave of hurt swallowed him, his heart pounding with his resurfaced feelings for the German.

"I don't give a single fuck about this...this thing we have, go fuck yourself!" Italy shouted. Germany continued to walk out, and walked right away from the house, refusing to listen or respond. Italy's face rekindled brightly in his furious flames, fuchsia eyes burning with rage at the silence he received.

"FINE THEN, IF YOU TAKE ONE STEP IN MY HOUSE OR IN THIS PLACE, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO MUTILATE YOU TO _FUCKING_ _PIECES_" Italy's voice broke into a new higher octave as he screeched at the retreating form of Germany. He stomped back inside, leaving Romano to suddenly start running toward Germany.

"Lutz! Lutz!"

Germany didn't turn to face Romano as he tried to catch up with him. His arm though did move to wipe something off his face, and it was enough a motion to get Romano running faster to him, aware of the significance of the movement. As they increased the distance from the house, Ludwig finally called it quits for leaving and sat down against a wall pointed the opposite direction of the house.

"Ludwig what happened back there? Why is my brother so angry at y-"

Romano's words suddenly stung as they wiggled down back his throat and sat painfully against his larynx. Sitting in front of him was a silently sobbing ally, and that spoke legions for him. His crying spoke in subtexts Romano could speak and understand fluently. Heartbreak and disaster; pure unadulterated pain of the heart. His heart shuddered at the sight, his locked-down, chained-up feelings for him pushing him to comfort and support him. He nonchalantly sat next to him and felt him instantly lean in toward him. A softly sobbed 'thank you' were the first words from Germany toward him. Romano remained there as Germany slowly but surely gained back some of his composure.

"Do you want to talk about it Germany?" Romano asked softly. Germany let a long sigh loose, and agreed to explain the events of the fight.

Thus began the tale Germany wove, fighting tears through it all, to explain the fight and the precursors that lead to it. Romano was his usual paitent, observant self and gladly listened to the tale. As Germany finished and furiously wiped his tears away from his left eyes furiously, Romano wiped away the tears in the right with a delicate touch.

"So you've been barred from the house on top of that" Romano murmured.

"Yes. I don't really have anywhere else to go. My house is i no position to support me or my brother and...and I don't know"

"You're welcome at my place"

"I thought you lived with your brother" Germany replied back with a bitter aftertaste.

Romano chuckled softly, brushing some of Germany's hair back. "Nope. Have my own home in Napoli. Somewhat isolated, beachfront property..."

Romano felt his heart shudder in a moment of weakness as Germany gave a cute smile his way, a blush rising on both their cheeks.

"Sounds great, actually. When do we leave?"

Through the pounding of his heart in his ears and the sudden awareness that he was totally staring at Germany's lips and daydreaming about finally kissing them, he cleared his throat and smiled back at Germany, giving his answer with the glee building up in his insides.

"When Happy Hour rolls upon us, and if my phone is right, then we should go before we waste anymore time"

* * *

Romano's golden (yet not really pure golden) 2013 Ferrari 458 Italia roared down the winding, hidden roads of his part of Italy, smiling from ear to ear as the wind generated from the top down blew his hair this way and that. Germany looked out to his side of the car, looking into the greenery of the land they rode through. They had long passed Termini and now were set down a long winding road toward Romano's secluded, beachfront home. Green surrounded them on all sides, and they welcomed the silence and sounds of birds greatly.

"Where the hell are we going Romano?" Germany asked once more, looking his way. Romano in response slid his sunglasses up to the top of his head. He smiled before actually giving him an answer.

"We'll be there soon, I promise! Just look ahead, you'll see it"

Silence rolled on until Germany let a gasp escape him as he saw the rising house on the horizon and the beautiful scenery accompanying it. An never-ending expanse of ocean stretched out on ahead, a gorgeous view of the slowly sinking sun turning the Mediterranean waters into amber waves. The slowly sinking ball of fire also gleamed against the heavy brown color of the house in front of them, giving in a jewel-like shine that made Romano's own bright amber eyes ignite in perfect flames.

"This is where you leave?" Germany shouted as they slowly rolled out of the gree nand onto the cliff face toward Romano's opening garage.

"No, I just sneak in and eat all the food this bastard has, of course it's where I live!"

"This is amazing..."

"Welcome to Casa di Pace e gentilezza"

"Pace e gentilezza?"

"Peace and Kindness. You deserve both after so much Ludwig"

Romano bailed out of the car as quickly as he turned the car off and sealed them inside the house. He let Germany linger back in the car, caught by his words as he got caught so often. Germany shook it quickly, but without much success as he was caught like a helpless fish in a net. Romano did not notice, as he led Germany around his house and helped get a room ready for him, that Germany was blushing the entire time. His eyes hovered over him for a while during that day. Something fluttered in his wounded heart, and when it started to hurt Germany shut it down. He knew not to try anything.

His scars from the last relationship strangled his holed up feelings like a corset, ever choking out their breath.


	2. Hearts, Return To Sender

_**Boom. Got it done! It's weird not writing in Microsoft Word. Scares me badly but I must survive until I can get it.**_

_**Anyway, enjoy another chapter!**_

* * *

Romano bounced on his toes as he peered from the kitchen into his living room. Germany was flipping through the channels available on TV with an amused look on his face, laughing periodically. It has been three days since Germany had decided to bunk down at Romano's seaside home to keep away from Italy and the raging inferno of anger he was creating at the joint Axis house. He was happy, excited, entirely ecstatic to finally have some time with the softer-then-expected German, away from the scathing eyes of his brother.

His brother always made sure that Germany never got close or connected to him.

"You're frowning again Romano" Germany called toward him as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed Romano's glass of wine. The grabbing of his wine helped Romano break out of his memorial haze.

"Hey, my wine, give it!" Romano demanded, grabbing for the glass now raised over his head.

"Nope," Germany told him, a shit-eating smile on his face, "mine now"

"Come on, please! Give it here now!" Romano yelled jumping up to grab it only to have Germany move and slide around him and the kitchen to play keep-away with the glass. Even on his toes, Romano just couldn't reach it. The closest he got was when Germany was backed up against the fridge and Romano was stretched out on his chest as he willed his fingers to extend out further to get his glass. When his middle finger graced the bottom of the stem of his glass, he finally realized what he was doing, and was blushing face-to-blush face with Germany. Both said nothing for terrifyingly long minute, staring into each others eyes; soft purple and shining amber. Both seemed to shine in subtle flames of attraction, yet they both were confused on what they saw. Romano's heart painfully pounded in his rib cage, making his ears pound with the sound of blood rushing everywhere. Germany couldn't control his, letting it run around like an excited animal

Each could feel the other's heart pounding against their chests like alarms.

"A-ahh...I'm sorry 'bout that, um, Germany. I-I'll just grab another...glass" Romano stumbled for the sentence but got enough out to explain his departure from Germany's chest. As soon as Germany relaxed with his arms at his side, glass of wine set away from him, Romano was fleeing the kitchen with a new wine glass.

Completely devoid of wine.

The only thing suddenly on Romano's mind was _'Fuck, fuckity, fuck fuck, what the hell just happened, holy shit Germany looks cute when he blushes and holy shit his breath smells like chocolate for some reason!'_. The rest was a spam-filled place of every scenario that could have happened if he had not moved or had tried anything bold. He still couldn't believe that Germany's breath smelled like chocolate.

"Hey Romano?"

_'Oh shit, frickle frackle, Germany's calling me'_ his mind screamed as he turned to face Germany who still sat against the kitchen counters.

"Don't you fill a wine glass with wine?"

Romano stood silent as he tried to comprehend the question. His eyes trailed to his glass, empty as his thoughts now, and then back up to Germany who held up the wine bottle. A lump formed in Romano's throat, his throat growing dark and depressed as he reevaluated the situation, quickly figuring out that he looked like an idiot.

'I wonder how stupid I look right now?' Romano bitterly thought as he walked up to the kitchen island and set his glass down, and watched Germany pour their wine into it. Germany chuckled softly under his breath, but it was loud enough for Romano to hear.

"What's so funny?" Romano bit out at him. Germany looked him directly in the eyes.

"The fact that you were flustered enough to forget this. It's...rather, um...cute, I guess"

_'Did he just...'_ Romano's thoughts sputtered. Cute? He looked...cute when he stumbled? Was cute even the right word for this situation? He could feel his cheeks burn with a blush, and Germany immediately withdrew and pushed a full wine glass his way.

"Drink up Romano. Maybe if you drink enough, that blush will say on" Germany teased as he grabbed his glass and walked back into the living room, leaving Romano to sort out his feelings now painfully stabbing his thoughts and heart like hypo needles.

_'It's pointless flirting'_, he yelled at his heart, _'he's thinking about a rebound and I'm it. I don't want to be a one night stand, a pointless rebound bed mate'_

He left his wine glass on the island that night, and it would not be touched for the rest of the day. He felt like sobbing his heart out. Germany's flirting was nothing but a ruse, a cover up of his real intentions, Romano decided. His romantic feelings were pointless, shameful inkling of a hope never to be achieved.

"Romano, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing, Germany. I just...need a moment outside, okay? I'll be...back"

Romano rushed out just in time before the tears began to fall. And hard these ears fell. His self-administered depression about being a possible rebound stabbed and mutilated him. He stumbled along the side of his house, feeling broken and utterly dead. Germany was just using him, Germany was looking for rebound sex, Germany was just trying to get on his good side until he could strike.

Germany never saw his heart for what he wanted.

He let a heart-wrenching sob out as he stopped stumbling along his walls, sliding down until he was curled up in a tight sphere, sobbing into his knees without remorse. He felt heartbroken.

His hopes were nothing but a false hope to recover from Spain's painful rejection and finally find someone who cares.

"Nobody cares," he sobbed before wiping snot with his arm, "Nobody ever does..."

"Nobody cares about the me behind my mask"

And so Romano sat in the shadows of his willow tree backyard, crying out his depression and sadness to the swaying branches of the old trees. His heart pounded and constricted with the waves of sorrow flowing out of his eyes and mouth, his pain reaching nothing but the blowing wind and the emptiness of his surroundings. He had reached the place to scream out and let no one hear him. He found the deaf place he could yell in and hope no one heard his pleas for help.

He knew no one listened.

"Romano?!"

He curled up tighter. Germany's figured out and he's coming to make fun of him. He scooted back as far as he could, trying to disappear into the side of the building, to ensure his and Germany's safety.

Germany wasn't safe near him.

"Romano!"

He didn't care. No one really cared. He was just a pointless representation of part of a nation.

"Stefano!"

Romano's head snapped full front, ears now scanning for sounds. He hadn't heard his human name spoken in a long time, and his heart snapped back to life. His fears and anxieties took a back seat as surprise took their place. The last person to use his human name was Spain, and he used it to dismiss him and his feelings. Now Germany was yelling it and he was getting close...

The cries for him stopped at the corner hiding him. Romano saw the shadow on the ground before he heard a soft breath carry around the corner. Germany had stopped along the other side of the corner.

"Stefano...what's happening?" Germany asked softly, loud enough for the words carry with the wind, caressing Romano's ears like velvet.

"I..."

"Please be honest Stefano. Why were you crying?"

"I..."

"If you want me to leave, then I'll..."

"NO! No, no please don't leave. Please...s-stay..."

Germany's head poked around the corner, eyes automatically locking with Romano. Romano's eyes still dripped with tears. Germany made no other moves toward him, but Romano did. HE pushed himself off his wall and right against Germany's chest. He didn't hug him; he simply leaned up against his chest like a pillow. Germany's body responded with a faster heart and a quick move of his arms around Romano.

"I just fear that...that you see me, see me like a...reboun-"

"No"

Romano's heart all about stopped on cue.

"Why the hell would you think that? If I had thought of any relationship with you it would never, ever, be just some cheap rebound sex"

Romano's heart appreciated the words, yet shattered once more. He hadn't thought of being in a relationship with him. Germany did not want any sort of thing with him, excluding friendship.

_'I wish it to be more, but I'm being selfish and rude. You just went through a breakup, you need to fix yourself before I can even get close to the picture'_

"What I would want with you is something honest and not lead by sex and lust. A romantic relationship, a relationship we're we could just lay around all day, watch stupidly hilarious films, and cuddle"

_'This is torture. He's killing me. He knows I want that but he's just keeping it out of reach like the asshole he is'_ Romano's tears came back, but his sobbing was kept quiet.

"I don't want to hurt either of us with my decision. What I want to do is...th-the pure relaxation of a romantic relationship..."

_'Here it comes. Another bitter, black denial and death sentence aga-'_

"If you would let me, I would like to make that happen. Stefano Vargas, will you go out with me?"

Romano didn't miss a single second. He looked up at Germany, arms and hands moving to cup his face quicker then he could speak. He just held Germany close, reaching up and moving until he was on his toes, and firmly held up against him in a hug with his arms around Germany's neck. Germany's arms followed suit, and finally Romano answered.

"Yes. Oh all that is here, I want to"

His tears turned from bitter to pure joy.


End file.
